The office lights in Zephyr Entertainment company were warmer than most—a soft, amber glow instead of harsh white fluorescents. Aster sat in one of the glass conference rooms with Jace and Yanna, his coat folded neatly over the chair beside him, his phone buzzing non-stop beside a neglected cup of tea.
He should've been used to this already. But he wasn't.
He leaned forward, blinking at the large monitor across from him. It was synced to Yanna's tablet, displaying a live feed of trending posts and public reactions from the variety show taping yesterday.
#AsterSunRise
#BurningSkyBoyBreaksOut
#ThatSmileShouldBeIllegal
#MainCharacterEnergy
Aster rubbed his temple.
"Did someone actually name their dog after me?" he asked, bewildered.
Yanna nodded solemnly. "Two dogs. One bunny. And a latte. I have screenshots."
Jace chuckled and leaned back, arms crossed. "It's not just the edits. You're in three top fan compilations right now. Your following went up by thirty percent overnight."
"They're calling you the scene-stealer of Burning Sky," Yanna added, sliding her tablet forward. "This one editor said, and I quote, 'his screen time may be short, but his impact was legendary.'"
Aster exhaled, leaning back against the chair, half amused, half stunned.
"I didn't even speak that much," he said. "My character literally died in Episode 3."
"Doesn't matter," Jace replied. "You made people feel something. And then, in the variety show, you showed them you're not just a brooding background actor—you're smart, funny, and pretty. Dangerous combination."
Aster blinked, unsure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat.
Yanna grinned. "Also, the way you subtly handled Kai's backhanded compliments? Classy. You didn't take the bait."
"That wasn't acting," Aster said honestly. "I just didn't care."
He didn't. Not anymore. Not after everything he'd lived through once before.
He remembered being desperate for approval, starving for a spot under the limelight, only to be chewed up by the industry and spat out broke, betrayed, and humiliated. All because he'd trusted the wrong people. All because he'd married someone who made him believe he owed her love.
But now...
This life, he had no illusions. Fame wasn't everything.
He just wanted to work honestly. To repay the debts from his first life, both emotional and real. To take care of Finn. And—if Adrian kept his word—maybe find a place for himself in this strange new version of their world.
Still, the attention felt... surreal.
"You okay?" Jace asked after a moment of silence.
Aster nodded slowly. "Just adjusting."
The manager gave him a look, then clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Well, buckle up. You've got three new brand proposals in the pipeline, and a guest invite for a food-tasting episode next week. Apparently, people like watching you eat."
Aster groaned. "They need hobbies."
"We'll be careful not to overbook you," Jace promised. "But momentum like this doesn't come twice."
Aster knew that better than anyone.
Later that day, while waiting for a costume fitting for his next commercial shoot, Aster scrolled absently through his socials.
His name was still trending.
There were fancams of him laughing, clips of him fixing a mic for Naomi during a group game, and memes of his "devastatingly polite" smile after Kai's jab.
But one post made him blink in disbelief.
@chaoticfangurl96
me watching aster collin hold a water bottle:
me: omg he's hydrating so gracefully.
also me: if reincarnation is real, I wanna be that bottle next life 😭😭💦
Aster stared. Then blinked again.
He didn't know whether to laugh or bury his face in shame.
"...Why a bottle?" he muttered to himself, horrified and amused.
His stylist looked up. "Something wrong?"
"No," he said quickly, locking his phone and tossing it facedown. "Just... fans being creative."
Wild, more like.
As he tried to collect himself, his phone buzzed again with a message. He hesitated, then peeked.
Adrian:
Saw you trending again. Proud of you.
Also, don't flirt with the hosts too hard. You're taken.
It's a buy out, remember?
Aster's ears turned red.
He didn't even realize he was smiling until his stylist caught it in the mirror.
"You're glowing, sir," she teased. "Must be that top-tier moisturizer... or a very good message."
"Just the lighting," Aster deflected, pulling himself together.
But even as he stood and walked toward the dressing rack, something fluttered in his chest.
Not quite affection. Not yet.
But something... warm.
Something he wouldn't allow himself to name.
Not when the clock on the contract was still ticking.